Dentists! We Don’t Need No Stinking Dentists!

“My teeth are fine, they don’t hurt. . .a lot!” “I don’t need to go the dentist.” “Besides, even if I had the time, I know I don’t have the money.” “And, if I had both the time and the money, why would I pay somebody to hurt me, I’m not like that.” “I’m not afraid I simply… my teeth don’t hurt!”

Twenty years ago the above statements wouldn’t be surprising to most dentists. They’ve heard them all. What is surprising is that even today these same statements reverberate in the halls of toothdom . Today, even with sedationdentistry, smaller more precise dental instruments, and anesthesia, people are still reluctant to go a dentist. Of course some of that reluctance stems from the FOC factor (fear of cost). Today there is very little reason not to see a dentist. Of all the above misgivings, the FOC factor is probably the biggest. But, oral health is not something that should be sidelined due to misgivings – it’s that important.

Let’s address the elephant on this page. Fear of cost is very real for a lot of folks, though this country has the best health care on the planet – it’s also the most expensive. However, FOC brings up multiple silver linings. First, consider the ROI (return on investment). If you can have healthy, comfortable, good-looking teeth – what is that worth? Also, in terms of real cost, getting dental work done is really not that expensive. Lastly, if you need a big dental procedure done you can finance it. P.S. if you have to choose whether to finance a new car or oral care – this article isn’t for you.

Now that the FOC elephant is put back in its cage, let’s talk about the other “reasons” people don’t go to the dentist. Pain! At this point in our history dental pain is all but imaginary. Have you been to a dental office recently? The dental tools are microscopic (not really but they are very small). Some dentists even use lasers. If smaller instruments aren’t enough, there is always anesthetic and if that’s not enough there is sedation and music (most dentists have digital music you can listen to while work is being done on your teeth).

What will hurt is if you keep putting of regular dental visits until the pain is unbearable. Dentists are doctors and like any doctor, they need to be seen regularly. Take care of your teeth, so that they can take care of you!